Home Automation and Security Systems

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Inspect Your Gadgets > Home Automation and Security Systems

poppingseagull: Apr 12, 2004

Hi Jinx posted:

First of all, apologies if this is the wrong thread.

I'm not interested in home security so much as home automation: primarily lighting and HVAC control; A/V is a nice plus.

I have a house wired mostly for Crestron. I've fired the people who've been dicking around with it for the better part of a year, and I'm about to get, well, something else in place.

I have a lot of Crestron light switches in place, Crestron thermostats, and a Crestron-controlled home theater, it just doesn't really work. I'm primarily concerned about the light switches. Contractors tell me that if I go with a non-Crestron system I'll have to have them all replaced, which sounds silly to me.

I'd love to put in a new system that's:

1) Future-proof (expandable, based on open standards instead of proprietary junk)

2) Somewhat DIY-friendly (I'm a lapsed software engineer, I have no interest in building the thing from the ground up but would like to be able to make small changes later)

3) Can work with a range of hardware, especially those silly Crestron switches that would be expensive to replace

4) Can handle lighting, HVAC, maybe AV, and maybe home security

5) Has a good dealer/support network, community-based is OK too

I know I'm not going to find all five in one place, but is there something out there that satisfies three of these points?

Sorry I'm late on this but I know Crestron very, very well, especially lighting.

What lighting products do you have? If compatible, just get the pyng hub and you'll love it. If you're really smart you can integrate with the pyng hub with lots of stuff. If not, it will work stand alone just fine.

edit: Also sounds like your dealer was kinda lovely. It happens. Crestron is trying to reel the dealers in more because it reflects on them. The Crestron hardware is solid stuff, but the dealers make/break the system. Sorry you had a bad experience. In the proper hands, there is really nothing that can beat it or even come close.

poppingseagull fucked around with this message at 03:18 on Mar 8, 2016

# ¿ Mar 8, 2016 03:12

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 07:55

poppingseagull: Apr 12, 2004

As someone who has done smart lighting for multi-million dollar properties, the "proper" way to do it is smart switches. Far better than smart bulbs, but higher initial cost and more install heavy. My apartment is set up that way. I can plug in any bulb (using all LEDs now) and it still works like a normal light, or I can control from any phone/tablet/whatever.

For lamps, we would use a smart dimmer that accepts a standard wall plug. Then rewire the lamp so the switch on the lamp hits a contact closure input on the dimmer. Using the switch on the lamp would work seamlessly with the phone/tablet/whatever.

I did this all with Crestron hardware in my line of work. Set up many hotels, condos, mansions, etc.

The extra feature smart bulbs have vs this solution is ease of adding colors or just color temp. When we had to do that it would be a custom DMX solution.

# ¿ Dec 27, 2016 21:12

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Inspect Your Gadgets > Home Automation and Security Systems